Assembly Member Laura Richardson received the largest number of votes during the June 26th special election to replace Congress Member Juanita Millender-McDonald who recently passed away of cancer. Of the 32,000 votes cast, Richardson received 11,027 votes, while state Senator Jenny Oropeza received 9,144 finishing second.

Richardson will now represent the Democratic Party after prevailing over both Senator Oropeza and the late Congress Member’s daughter, Valerie McDonald, who came in third place with 3,027 votes. It was speculated that Senator Oropeza had the advantage in this race as the district was believed to be headed towards a more Latino vote, with the African-American vote possibly being shared between Richardson and McDonald.

The runoff election will now take place on August 21 and will include Democrat Laura Richardson; Republican John Kanaley, who received 2,425 votes; Green Party candidate Daniel Brezenoff, who received 391 votes; and Libertarian Herb Peters, who received 342 votes.

The August 21st election will likely mean that each house, the state Senate and the Assembly will have all of its members for most of the summer and will likely allow a Budget vote to take place with all members present. The official canvass will be completed by August 31 and the election results will be certified by September 29th. A special election for Richardson’s open Assembly seat will then take place this fall.